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Core Wire...

Count Bassie

Count Bassie

Supporting Member
Jun 10, 2006
16,814
64,621
Smithfield, RI
#1
Why don't more manufacturers put the core wire used for a particular string in the product information? True that if you know something about the string you can discern what's probably in there, but it seems to me that the physical characteristics of the string have a lot to do with the core wire, whether it's hex or round. It seems to me that this would be useful information for finding what you're looking for.
Has anyone else noticed this, or do you have a comment on it?
Thanks for your time.
 
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#3
Thomastik-Infeld makes the core wire type part of the spec listed for every string they make. Smith makes no mention of it. We see the lack of standards in many facets of the gear manufacturing industry, but strings ought to be a little plainer about this. They are strings... a simpler, physical part of the instrument you play.
 
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#4
Count Bassie said:
Why don't more manufacturers put the core wire used for a particular string in the product information? True that if you know something about the string you can discern what's probably in there, but it seems to me that the physical characteristics of the string have a lot to do with the core wire, whether it's hex or round. It seems to me that this would be useful information for finding what you're looking for.
Has anyone else noticed this, or do you have a comment on it?
Click to expand...

This is why I like what GHS has done in the last year or so, when they added graphics as part of the description for each model listed on their website, thanks to @Jon Moody!

For example...

Balanced Nickels:

GHS Graphics BN.png


Pressurewound:

GHS Graphics PW.png


Brite Flats:

GHS Graphics BF.png
 
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#7
Eddie LeBlanc said:
Probably because they feel that is proprietary information. I wish they would allow us to know what the Core is. Guess it's the same reason Coke won't tell you what is in a Coke, even though they changed it a few times.
View attachment 4194178
Click to expand...
It is a poor ethic. You're not talking about a recipe so much as a set of properties a player is looking for in their instrument.
If I buy a house I'm going to live in, there are disclosures by the seller. They may have added a part to the house and there are specs to know. A builder of the house who sells it needs to do the same thing.
I'm making it a complicated thread now, but I really don't see how this is even "disclosure". Food, recreational substances, or physical things you use.
Anyway, my original post wasn't about the correctness of a situation, but for observations and impressions of it. So I have now provided mine, lol.
 
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#9
This is something i have never thought i needed to consider when buying strings. i now buy the strings i like best of the ones i have tried and have no idea of what any of the cores are. All i know is they are D'addario Pro Steel roundwounds. The strings i recall trying up to date are, elites, roundwound, ken smith, fodera, r cocco, alembic. I use Alembic round wounds for reggae and d'addario for everything else. But don't have any idea what the pros and cons of the cores are yet. But i will do some reading.
 
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#10
Count Bassie said:
Why don't more manufacturers put the core wire used for a particular string in the product information?
Click to expand...

Hex core wire is the industry standard. By a lot. If I was to guess, I'd say it's about 90% of all bass strings out there.

Unless it says otherwise (round core), it's understood that it is hex core. Much like how "nickel" strings are universally acknowledged to be nickel-plated steel; the only difference is when "pure nickel" strings are announced.

So the onus really is on the manufacturers that use round core wire (i.e. something different than the standard) to delineate that. From what I've seen, DR, Fodera, et. al. are all pretty transparent about that.


Gorn said:
I think bassists who aren't on talkbass don't care.
Click to expand...

Fixed it for you ;)
 
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#11
Count Bassie said:
It is a poor ethic. You're not talking about a recipe so much as a set of properties a player is looking for in their instrument.
If I buy a house I'm going to live in, there are disclosures by the seller. They may have added a part to the house and there are specs to know. A builder of the house who sells it needs to do the same thing.
I'm making it a complicated thread now, but I really don't see how this is even "disclosure". Food, recreational substances, or physical things you use.
Anyway, my original post wasn't about the correctness of a situation, but for observations and impressions of it. So I have now provided mine, lol.
Click to expand...

I have called string distributors and actually inquired. Kind of surprising what they will let you know if you are a prospective customer. Currently been using Optima Golds that are manufactured in Germany. But the USA distribution was more than helpful.
 
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#18
I can see where this subject could burrow down into the rabbit hole gone down with conversations about speaker specs and cab pairings.
A thing sounds good or it doesn't, and chasing dark arts can be less efficacious than just trying things, at a point.
I had a question that I thought related to character of sound and behavior. How a string acts in relation to a basic element of construction, and if others had a similar question concerning ther lack of ready info from manufacturers.
I'm stepping away from the edge of the rabbit hole, and may just gi get a nice set of those Black Beauties I liked on my old Epi Blackbird... round-cores with round windings. Nice string...
 
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#19
michael_t said:
This is why I like what GHS has done in the last year or so, when they added graphics as part of the description for each model listed on their website, thanks to @Jon Moody!

For example...

Balanced Nickels:

View attachment 4194146

Pressurewound:

View attachment 4194147

Brite Flats:

View attachment 4194148
Click to expand...
I did a record with my old psyche rock band with a set of GHS Brite Flats. I really liked them, what they produced, esp with my all-Hog Schecter bass with a DiMarzio Model One in the sweet-spot: big, slightly murky but with a nice top-end, heavy sound. Thanks for the reminder.
 
#20
Eddie LeBlanc said:
Probably because they feel that is proprietary information. I wish they would allow us to know what the Core is. Guess it's the same reason Coke won't tell you what is in a Coke, even though they changed it a few times.
View attachment 4194178
Click to expand...

For Coke Original, just combine red wine, sugar, and cocaine. Pure magic.
 
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